Acle Neighbourhood Plan
SustainabilityppraisalScopingReport 2014 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Review of relevant policies, plans, programmes and environmental objectives (task A1)
3 Baseline information (task A2)
4 Key issues (task A3)
5 Sustainability Appraisal Framework (task A4)
6 Consulting on the SA Scoping Report (task A5)
Appendix A: Screening Opinion
Appendix B: Landscape designation plans
Appendix C: Flood zone plan
Appendix D: Sustainability Appraisal Framework
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1. Introduction and methodology
1.1. This Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report has been developed to inform the content of the emerging Acle Neighbourhood Plan (ANP) as required by the EU Directive 2001/42/EC, which is also known as the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive.
1.2. Although the SEA Directive only requires Neighbourhood Plans to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), in order to ensure best practice this Scoping Report reviews social and economic issues and therefore comprises a more wide-reaching Sustainability Appraisal (SA).
1.3. By undertaking an SA rather than an SEA, the ANP Working Group (see below) is ensuring that social and economic as well as environmental implications of emerging ideas for the ANP are taken into account before any policies are prepared.
1.4. This SA Scoping Report follows the issuing of a Screening Opinion provided by both Broadland District Council (BDC) and the Broads Authority (BA) as local planning authorities covering Acle Parish (see Appendix A: Screening Opinion ).
Location and Local Government administrative context
1.5. Acle is in the English county of Norfolk. It is located approximately 11 miles to the east of Norwich and nine miles to the west of Great Yarmouth. The village is bounded by the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads National Park to the north and land to the west of the village is predominantly arable agricultural land.
1.6. The ANP boundary is contiguous with the boundary of the civil Parish of Acle (see below).
2 Figure1:PlanofcleParishshowingareainsideBroadsNaon- alPark/Broadsuthorityadministravearea Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
1.7. As the plan above illustrates, the majority of Acle Parish is located within BDC’s, administrative,area,but,parts,of,the,Parish,are,located,within,the,B;’s,administrative,area,,
1.8. Both BDC and the BA are therefore the local planning authorities for the purpose of this Neighbourhood Plan. Reflecting this, this SA Scoping Report considers the plans, policies and sustainability issues in both Local Authority areas.
Local Strategic Planning Policy Context
1.9. As noted above, the ANP includes land within the BDC and the BA administrative areas. The local strategic planning policy context for these two areas is set out below.
Broadland District Council (BDC)
1.10. Strategic planning policy for the BDC area is provided by the Greater Norwich Development Partnership Adopted Joint Core Strategy (2011) which sets out the strategy for growth in Norwich and the surrounding area including Acle up to 2026. The Joint Core Strategy is based on targets for growth set out in the defunct Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England (2008).
1.11. The Greater Norwich Development Partnership is a partnership between Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk District Councils who are working together to develop long term plans for housing growth and jobs in the Greater Norwich area.
1.12. Other BDC strategic planning policy documents taken into account in the preparation of this SA Scoping Report include the Site Allocations DPD Preferred Options Report (2013) and the Development Management DPD Issues and Options Report (2011).
Broads Authority (BA)
1.13. Strategic planning policy for the BA area is provided primarily by the Adopted the Broads Core Strategy (2007). The Broads Core Strategy sets out the vision for the Broads up to 2021, including environmental, social and economic objectives and primary policies for achieving that vision.
1.14. The ANP will be a subsidiary to BDC and BA Core Strategies and must be in general conformity with these (as well as the NPPF).
Application of BDC and BA policies
1.15. The sustainability principles applied to the GNDP Joint Core Strategy and the Broads Core Strategy are applicable to the proposed ANP. This Scoping Report therefore has regard to and builds upon the GNDP Joint Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report and the Broads Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal.
1.16. Government guidance on Sustainability Appraisal suggests that one Scoping Report can be produced for several Local Development Documents which the ANP will be comparable to, provided that it details sufficient information for each document concerned.
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1.17. For the sake of brevity and where appropriate, this Scoping Report refers to sections of the GNDP Joint Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report and the Broads Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal rather than reproducing these in full and so should be read alongside them.
Background to Sustainability Appraisal
1.18. Sustainability Appraisal is a systematic process undertaken during the preparation of a plan or strategy, as required by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (S19(5)).
1.19. There is also a requirement for Development Plan Documents such as Neighbourhood Plans to undergo an environmental assessment, (known as a Strategic Environmental Assessment) under European Directive 2001/42/EC (transposed into UK legislation by the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004).
1.20. It is intended that this Sustainability Appraisal incorporates the Strategic Environmental Assessment in accordance with the reg ulations.
1.21. The Sustainability Appraisal process will: Adopt a long-term view of development within the area covered by the plan, with particular interest on the social, environmental, and economic effects of the proposed plan Develop an effective system for ensuring that sustainability objectives are transformed into sustainable planning policies Reflect global and national concerns, as well as concerns at the regional and local levels Provide an audit trail of how the ANP has been revised to take into account the findings of the sustainability appraisal. Incorporate the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive Produce and consult on a Scoping Report early in the process for the plan.
1.22. Government guidance on undertaking Sustainability Appraisal of Local Development Documents (of which the ANP will be comparable to) presents a five-stage process, each of which contains criteria to fulfil that requirement. These stages are described in Government guidance in the following manner:
Figure 2: Sustainability appraisal tasks
Stage Tasks Stage A: Pre-production, setting the context and objectives, evidence gathering to establish a baseline and deciding on the scope, culminating in production of scoping report Stage B: Developing and refining options and assessing effects and mitigation by testing plan objectives against the SA Framework Stage C: Documenting and appraising the effects of the plan and preparing the SA Report Stage D: Consulting on the plan and the SA Report Stage E: Monitoring the significant effects of implementing the plan Source: Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents, ODPM 2005)
1.23. Sustainability Appraisal is an iterative and on-going process following the production of this Scoping Report (Stage A). The SA framework set out in a later section will be used to
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consider the effects of the different options proposed ANP, and to consider key issues where they arise.
1.24. The Sustainability Appraisal process will run concurrently with the ANP production process and after the scoping for the Sustainability Appraisal has been carried out the next stage will be the developing and refining of policy options and assessing their effects.
Scoping
1.25. As noted above, the first stage of Sustainability Appraisal (Stage A) requires the production of a Scoping Report. The preparation of a Scoping Report is based on the completion of five specific tasks set out in the table below. The tasks are part of a circular process of continuous improvement and refinement.
Figure 3: Scoping tasks
Stage A scoping tasks Task A1 Identifying and reviewing relevant policies, plans, programmes and sustainability objectives Task A2 Collecting baseline information Task A3 Identifying sustainability issues Task A4 Developing the SA framework Task A5 Consulting on the scope of the SA Source: SA of Regional Spatial Strategies and LDDs (ODPM, 2005)
1.26. Each step shown in the table above corresponding to Stage A of the Sustainability Appraisal process (scoping) is addressed in turn in this report.
Acle Neighbourhood Plan (ANP)
1.27. The ANP will be a Neighbourhood Development Plan for the Parish of Acle. The power to produce neighbourhood plans is an output of the Localism Act (2011).
1.28. The aim of neighbourhood planning is for local communities to have greater control over what happens in their area.
1.29. The process of producing the ANP is being undertaken by a Working Group that reports to Acle Parish Council.
1.30. The ANP Working Group comprises a wide cross-section of representatives from local community organisations as follows: Acle Parish Council Norfolk County Council Acle Society Acle Youth Club Acle Academy Acle Recreation Centre & Social Club St Edmund VC Primary School Churches Together Acle Youth Ambassador
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1.31. The ANP Working Group has been in operation since April 2013. Since that time it has held a number of meetings to discuss baseline information, a Neighbourhood Plan vision, objectives and has started to discuss potential policies.
1.32. The ANP Working Group organised and held an open public consultation event on Saturday 29 th June. At the event, attendees from the local community were asked to record what they liked and disliked about the village, what their vision was for the future and to review a series of objectives for the ANP. The vision and objectives set out below emerged from this event.
Vision
1.33. The vision for the Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure that Acle is a flourishing village and gateway to the broads that maintains a strong sense of community whilst embracing a sustainable and prosperous future as a place where people choose to live, work and visit.
Objectives
Community and leisure
To support enhanced education facilities for all age groups To improve the ability of the village centre to be used for community events To improve access to formal and informal sports and leisure provision.
Movement and transport
To improve conditions for walking and cycling from the village centre to the surrounding countryside To reduce the dominance of the highway in the village centre To support enhanced public transport infrastructure.
Business and employment
To protect and enhance provision of small traditional retail in the village centre To ensure that employment sites are developed for an appropriate mix of employment uses To improve the attractiveness of Acle for inward investment
Housing
To make sure any new housing development has an appropriate mix of affordable units To make sure any new housing development includes an appropriate mix of units of different sizes for both young and old households To make sure any new housing development is of the highest quality and reflects local and traditional architectural styles
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2. Review of relevant policies, plans, programmes and environmental objectives (task A1)
2.1. The objective of this section of SA Scoping Report is to identify and highlight policies, plans, programmes and objectives that are of relevance to any proposals that might emerge from the ANP.
2.2. Guidance suggests that where Neighbourhood Plans are within areas that have extant or emerging strategic plans and these strategic plans have recently been the subject of an SA, it is not necessary to replicate this exercise entirely.
2.3. Both BDC (Joint Core Strategy) and the BA (Core Strategy) have emerging or extant Core Strategies for which Sustainability Appraisals were undertaken (BDC; Joint Core Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk: Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report , 2007 BA; The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Local Development Framework Core Strategy Development Plan Document: Sustainability Appraisal Environmental Report, 2006) . These documents are therefore not reviewed in this section but their findings are reflected later in this SA Scoping Report, principally at task A3, key issues.
2.4. The lists of documents reviewed by the BDC and BA Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisals have been reviewed to establish whether any relevant documents have been published more recently or whether there are any other lower level documents that should be included for review within this Scoping Report. Both SA documents are now relatively historic a number of more recent or local level documents have been published since there publication as shown in the table below.
Figure 4: Schedule of additional documents reviewed in this Scoping Report
Administrative scope Document title National National Planning Policy Framework Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Meeting the Energy Challenge A White Paper on Energy The Plan for Growth Regional Sustainable Futures: Integrated Sustainability Framework for the East of England Local Tomorrow’s,Norfolk,Today’s,Challenge,– A Climate Change Strategy for Norfolk Greater Norwich Development Partnership, Green Infrastructure Strategy Draft Greater Norwich Economic Strategy 2009-2014 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Broadland Play Strategy Broadland Youth Engagement Strategy Neighbourhood Acle Village Economic Masterplan
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2.5. The pro-forma below provide a summary of each of the documents reviewed. Summaries of other relevant documents considered by the BDC and BA SA Scoping Reports can be found in those documents available at: BDC SA Scoping Report (2007): http://www.gndp.org.uk/content/wp- content/uploads/downloads/2012/08/PSJCS-3.3-Sustainability-Report-of-the-JCS- Technical-Appendix-August-2012.pdf BA SA Scoping Report (2006): http://www.broads- authority.gov.uk/broads/live/authority/consultations/core-strategy/submission-core- strategy-dpd-consultation/SA_SEA_environmental_report_18_sept.pdf
Figure 5: Summary of documents reviewed
LEVEL: NATIONAL Plan name: Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Author: DEFRA, Welsh Assembly, Scottish Executive and Department of the Environment Document date: 2007 Summary of document: The Air Quality Strategy sets out air quality objectives and policy options to further improve air quality in the UK into the long term. As well as direct benefits to public health, the policy options are intended to provide important benefits to quality of life and help to protect the environment. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The Air Quality Strategy sets out a series of technical objectives in relation to managing air quality in the UK. It: sets out a way forward for work and planning on air quality issues sets out the air quality standards and objectives to be achieved introduces a new policy framework for tackling fine particles identifies potential new national policy measures which modelling indicates could give further health benefits and move closer towards meeting the Strategy's objectives. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribution to reducing air pollution and improving air quality.
LEVEL: NATIONAL Plan name: Meeting the Energy Challenge: A White Paper on Energy Author: Department for Trade and Industry (now Department for Business Innovation and Skills Document date: 2007 Summary of document: The,White,Paper,sets,out,the,government’s,current,domestic,and,international,energy,strategy,,It,seeks,to, provide a response to changing circumstances, address long-term energy challenges and deliver four energy policy goals. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The White Paper sets out four over-arching policy goals in relation to energy as follows: To,put,ourselves,on,a,path,to,cutting,the,UK’s,carbon,dioxide,emissions, - the main contributor to global warming - by some 60% by about 2050, with real progress by 2020 To maintain the reliability of energy supplies To promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond, helping to raise the rate of sustainable economic
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growth and to improve our productivity To ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions Contribution to maintaining reliable energy supplies Contribution to ensuring housing is adequately and affordably heated
LEVEL: NATIONAL Plan name: National Planning Policy Framework Author: Document date: 2012 Summary of document: The,NPPF,sets,out,the,government’s,planning,policies,for,England,and,how,they,are,to,be,applied,,It,replaces, the more voluminous Planning Policy Guidance / Statement system. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The over-arching objective of the content of the NPPF is to achieve sustainable development which the Government defines as having three dimensions; economic, social and environmental. It states that these dimensions give rise to the need for the planning system to perform a number of roles: An economic role: contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth and innovation; and by identifying and coordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure A social role: supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by creating a high quality built environment,with,accessible,local,services,that,reflect,the,community’s,needs,and,support,its,health, social and cultural well-being An environmental role: contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment; and, as part of this, helping to improve biodiversity, use natural resources prudently, minimise waste and pollution, and mitigate and adapt to climate change including moving to Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: The NPPF is the primary strategic planning document to which the ANDP must ultimately adhere. It provides guidance which this SA Scoping Report reflect under the following headings: Building a strong, competitive economy Ensuring the vitality of town centres Supporting a prosperous rural economy Promoting sustainable transport Supporting high quality communications infrastructure Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes Requiring good design Promoting healthy communities Protecting Green Belt land Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Conserving and enhancing the historic environment Facilitating the sustainable use of minerals.
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LEVEL: NATIONAL Plan name: The Plan for Growth Author: HM Treasury and Department for Business Innovation and Skills Document date: 2011 Summary of document: The,Plan,for,Growth,is,the,Government’s,principal,national,economic,development,policy,,The,central, objective of the Plan for Growth is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The Plan for Growth contains four overarching ambitions that will ensure progress is made towards achieving this economic objective 1. To create the most competitive tax system in the G20; 2. To make the UK one of the best places in Europe to start, finance and grow a business 3. To encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy 4. To create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribute towards business start-up and growth Contribute towards inward investment Contribute towards education and skills development
LEVEL: REGIONAL Plan name: Sustainable Futures: Integrated Sustainability Framework for the East of England Author: Document date: 2009 Summary of document: The Integrated Sustainability Framework (ISF) is a statement of the sustainable development priorities and challenges facing the East,of,England,Its,vision,is,‘ To promote and enhance the environmental, economic and social well-being of the East of England, and ensure a better quality of life for everyone – now and in the future’ The ISF seeks to identify: The main objectives to achieve sustainable development in the East of England How those objectives are being addressed by current regional targets in the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and Regional Economic Strategy (RES) and any gaps that may need to be addressed in a future Single Regional Strategy; A monitoring framework to assess current and future performance in relation to the sustainable development objectives. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The ISF identifies ten sustainable development objectives for the East of England. Each objective has a number,of,headline,indicators,that,can,be,used,to,monitor,the,region’s,progress,towards sustainable development. 1. Promote sustainable growth within environmental limits 2. Reduce poverty and inequality and promote social inclusion 3. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 4. Adapt to the impacts of climate change 5. Promote employment, learning, skills and innovation 6. Increase resource efficiency and reduce resource use and waste
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7. Conserve,restore,and,enhance,the,region’s,natural,and,built,environment 8. Move goods and people sustainably 9. Meet the needs of the changing regional demographic 10. Provide decent, affordable and safe homes for all Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribute towards the delivery of sustainable development Contribute towards economic growth and social inclusion Contribute towards a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions Contribute towards employment, learning, skills and innovation Contribute towards more efficient use of resources Contribute towards the protection, restoration and enhancement of natural and built environment Contribute towards increased use of sustainable transport Contribute towards meeting the needs of a changing community Contribute towards providing decent, affordable and safe homes for all
LEVEL: LOCAL Plan name: Tomorrow’s,Norfolk,Today’s,Challenge,– A Climate Change Strategy for Norfolk Author: Norfolk County Council and constituent district councils Document date: 2008 Summary of document: The strategy was commissioned by the Norfolk Local Government Association and developed by a Task Force of experts from each of the Norfolk local authorities. It is intended to create a framework for partnership working and community engagement to drive forward real action across Norfolk. It has drawn on the analysis and conclusions of two baselining studies conducted by environmental consultants, Mott McDonald (July 2008), which identify the key impact sectors, actions taken by local authorities to date, and those areas most likely to benefit from targeted future action. The strategy is central to delivering the “Environmentally,Responsible”,theme,in,Norfolk,;mbition,our,Sustainable,Community,Strategy,for,2003 - 2023. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The Strategy sets two high level goals to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change: To cut carbon emissions by reducing energy consumption and promoting a shift to low-carbon technology (mitigation) To,improve,Norfolk’s,resilience,to,the,changing,climate,including,reduction,of,the,socio -economic and environmental risks associated with flooding and coastal erosion (adaptation) Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report:
Contribution to reducing carbon emissions through promoting reduced energy consumption and increased use of renewables Contribution to reducing any adverse impacts of climate change in Norfolk associated with flooding and coastal erosion.
LEVEL: LOCAL
Plan name: GNDP, Green Infrastructure Strategy Author: Greater Norfolk Development Partnership
Document date: (2007) Summary of document:
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The strategy brings together the various strands of existing work being progressed at all scales across the Greater Norwich Area that contribute towards green infrastructure provision and management into a single proposed vision, and makes recommendations for investing in the provision of multi-functional green infrastructure. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The Strategy outlines a vision for green infrastructure in the GNDP area as follows: The proposed Vision for Green Infrastructure in the Greater Norwich Area is for a multi-functional network of greenspaces and green links, providing an environmental life support system for communities and wildlife. The network should be high quality, bio-diverse and accessible and be widely valued by local residents and businesses, and also by visitors to the Greater Norwich Area. Opportunities to inspire local communities to adopt low carbon and healthy lifestyles based on a greater awareness of their ‘environmental,footprints’, should be encouraged. The green infrastructure network connects Norwich, other settlements and the countryside via green corridors, particularly along the river valleys, providing sustainable opportunities for communities in towns and villages to access, enjoy and appreciate a variety of greenspaces on their doorstep and in the wider countryside. The network also connects a diverse range of wildlife habitats and provides important ecological corridors for species dispersal and migration. The green infrastructure approach should be regarded as a long-term framework for sustainable development, protecting the natural and historic environment and enhancing the distinctive qualities that give the Greater Norwich Area its special character. Green infrastructure should be delivered, protected and managed through the commitment and involvement of the public, private and voluntary sectors across the Greater Norwich Area working in partnership. The vision is supported by six core green infrastructure planning and management principles: Safeguard and protect valuable green infrastructure resources; Integrate green infrastructure into development schemes and existing developments; Secure new and enhanced green infrastructure before development proceeds where there is a clear need for provision; Enhance green infrastructure where of low quality, in decline or requiring investment to realise its potential to meet future demands; Mitigate potential adverse effects of development, new land uses and climate change; Create new green infrastructure where there is an identified deficit, or growth is planned and additional provision or compensatory measures are needed. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribute towards the safeguarding and protection of green infrastructure Contribute towards the provision of new green infrastructure as part of new and existing development Contribute towards the creation of new and enhanced green infrastructure in advance of development Contribute towards improving existing green infrastructure
LEVEL: LOCAL Plan name: Draft Greater Norwich Economic Strategy 2009-2014 Author: Greater Norwich Development Partnership Document date: 2009 Summary of document: The purpose of the strategy is to define the priorities for economic development in Greater Norwich over the period 2009-2014. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The strategy sets out a vision for the area as follows: Greater,Norwich,will,be,recognised,as,one,of,England’s,major, city regions with a rapidly growing diverse and sustainable economy providing all its residents with opportunities and a great quality of life. It also contains a series of objectives and priorities as follows: Objective 1 : Enterprise - To,strengthen,the,area’s,economy,maximise diverse employment opportunities and
12 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report ensure that businesses can flourish. Priority 1: Create more sustainable jobs by increasing the number of new business start-ups and supporting the growth of small and medium sized enterprises. Priority 2: Support the growth of the knowledge economy by encouraging key sectors and facilitating the attraction and development of businesses which can exploit the commercial potential of the research expertise in the UEA and Norwich Research Park. Objective 2: People and Skills - To improve the skills of the labour force to ensure that it matches the needs of existing and potential employers and local people benefit from job growth. Priority 1: Raise the aspirations of local people, particularly young people, and provide appropriate learning opportunities. Priority 2: Address mismatches between skills availability and skills requirements. Priority 3: Ensure there is a strong economic component to regeneration and neighbourhood renewal strategies Objective 3: Infrastructure for Business - Ensure that the area has the necessary infrastructure and quality of environment to attract and retain investment and support business growth. Priority 1: Contribute to the development of an improved and sustainable transport and communications infrastructure to support planned growth and development Priority 2: Maintain an appropriate supply of suitably located employment land and premises Priority 3: Ensure that the investment required in public utilities infrastructure and other essential infrastructure takes place so that the development of key sites is not constrained. Objective 4: Profile and Investment - To raise the profile of Greater Norwich as a high quality place to live work and visit. Priority 1: Promote a strong and coherent image of Greater Norwich capitalising on its particular strengths as a business location. Priority 2: Attract and retain private and public investment to drive growth and regeneration Priority 3: Support the continued development of a vibrant City Centre that is unique in its retail, cultural and heritage offers Priority 4: Revitalise market towns and rural economies and encourage the development of distinctive retail, cultural and heritage offers. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribution to economic growth by supporting business start-ups and SMEs Contribution to the growth of the knowledge economy through supporting specific sectors Contribute towards raising aspirations and supporting learning Contribute towards improved sustainable transport and communications infrastructure to support growth and development Contribute towards the supply of suitable employment land and premises Contribute towards enabling development of constrained sites Contribute towards the revitalisation of market towns and rural economies and support distinctiveness.
LEVEL: LOCAL Plan name: Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Author: Partnership of all district councils across Norfolk Document date: 2008 Summary of document: The SFRA is intended to be utilised as a planning tool to enable local planning authorities and others to meet the strategic objectives set out in the (now defunct) Department for Communities and Local Government Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25) Development and Flood Risk published in 2006 Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The principal objective of the document is to provide necessary information to allow parties to consider the
13 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report implications of flood risk for any particular proposed development, avoiding risks where possible and enabling improvements to flood management. More detailed information on the flood risk around Acle is provided elsewhere in this Scoping Report. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribute towards the avoidance and reduction of flooding Contribute towards the management of future flood risk
LEVEL: LOCAL Plan name: Children’s,Play, Policy Author: Broadland District Council Document date: 2007 Summary of document: The Broadland Play Policy is intended to provide a guide to the development of play areas in the district. It sets out how Broadland District Council will work with its partners in the Broads and Play Partnership (and with neighbouring play partnerships) to ensure children have access to stimulating, safe play regardless of where they live, their gender, race, age or ability. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The Broadland Play Strategy sets out to deliver the following benefits: an equitable distribution of play areas across Broadland attractive, well-designed and safe play areas for children and young people, clearly visible from public spaces areas for young people to meet consultation with children and young people on the provision of new or rehabilitation of existing play areas easy access to play areas for more residents improved access to play facilities for disabled children (and parents and carers) and people from other disadvantaged sections of the community. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribute towards the delivery of attractive, well designed and safe play areas and areas for young people to meet Contribute towards improved access to play facilities for disabled children and disadvantaged groups
LEVEL: LOCAL Plan name: Broadland Youth Engagement Strategy Author: Broadland District Council Document date: 2008 Summary of document: The purpose of the document is to set,out,BDC’s,approach,to,engaging,young,people,in,the,district Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The objectives of the strategy are as follows: Help young people have a say in what happens in Broadland. Help inform young people about what Broadland District Council is doing. Enable young people to find out what Broadland District Council is thinking of doing, and have their
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views on this listened to. Help to provide events and projects that young people have said they want. Help,to,provide,training,to,help,young,people,play,a,role,in,the,Council’s,work, Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report: Contribute towards increased involvement of young people in plan making and implementation.
LEVEL: NEIGHBOURHOOD Plan name: Acle Village Economic Masterplan Author: Acle Village Team Document date: 2013 Summary of document: The Acle Village Economic Masterplan was commissioned by BDC. It is not an adopted document but it has been reviewed and formally acknowledged by BDC and APC. The masterplan area relates to the civil parish of Acle and its hinterland which extends into the Broads Authority area. It was prepared by a village team comprising a number of local stakeholder groups including BDC, APC, Acle Academy, The Acle Society, Acle Recreation Centre, Acle Social Club, Acle Youth Club, The Acle Lands Trust, The Acle Archive and The Broads Authority. The objective of the masterplan is to identify a range of deliverable projects and initiatives that can help to maintain and grow the economy of Acle over the short, medium and long-term. There is no fixed timescale or deadline by which the masterplan must be delivered. Rather it is designed to contain projects that can be delivered immediately, projects that can only be delivered over the next two or three years and projects that will take much longer to implement. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in Neighbourhood Plan: The,document,identifies,an,economic,development,vision,for,;cle,as,‘The,gateway,to,the,Norfolk,Broads’ . The document also sets out a number of economic development objectives that respond directly to a number of constraints identified by the work: Village centre: To improve the form and function of the village centre and put it back at the heart of the community Links to the Broads: To improve the physical and perceived links with the Norfolk Broads Aging population and housing: To ensure that Acle is a well-balanced community and is an attractive and accessible location for all age groups Employment space: To retain and support existing businesses and attract new companies to the village Social capital: To build even greater levels of social capital Online presence: Improve the visibility of Acle online Business voice: To improve exposure and awareness of local businesses. Key objectives / requirements / conclusions to be taken into consideration in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report:
Contribute towards the growth of the local economy Contribute towards increased supply of employment land Contribute towards improvements in social capital and community cohesion.
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3. Baseline information (task A2)
3.1. This section of the Scoping Report sets out a summary of the current characteristics of the Parish of Acle. It considers in turn, a summary of environmental, social and economic conditions in the village and findings from a public consultation exercise held on Saturday 29th June 2013.
Environmental characteristics
Spatial context
3.2. The Parish of Acle is located in the east of Broadland Local Authority district between Norwich in the west and the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads in the east (see below). It covers an area of around 937 hectares and is located on an area of relatively high ground.
Figure 6: Sub-regional location of Acle Parish (hatched in red)
Source: ONS, 2013
3.3. The Parish of Acle is largely rural in nature and is characterised by arable farmland on the higher ground in the west and marshland / pasture on low-lying land to the east.
3.4. The village of Acle is located in the centre of the Parish on the edge of the higher ground. It is likely that the village served as an important landing point en route to Norwich before the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads were largely drained.
16 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 7: Local location of Acle Parish (hatched in red)
Source: ONS 2013
3.5. The village of Acle itself is an historic nucleated settlement. The village has developed around the confluence of a number of radial routes linking it to surrounding towns and villages.
3.6. In 1989 the A47 was upgraded around Acle and a bypass was created to the south east of the village. Whilst traffic was taken away from the centre of the village, the bypass effectively severs the Parish on an east – west alignment.
3.7. Whilst the village is considered a single entity, to the south of the A47 is a small area of housing and employment known as Damgate. It is likely that this was once considered a separate settlement. To the east of the A1064 there is also another small area of housing, allotments and Acle Boat Dyke. Damgate is relatively well connected via an underpass beneath the A47. However, the area to the east of the A1064 suffers from a degree of severance caused by the speed and volume of traffic on this route and the lack of any formal crossing points.
Built environment
3.8. Acle has grown in a nucleated pattern centred on the confluence of the The Street, Mill Lane, Old Road and New Road. The point at which these routes meet is the village centre and contains two small areas of green space and car parking.
3.9. The centre of the village is dominated by a large area of land given over to highway (see below). Whilst the network of important local roads means that the amount of land given to highway is necessary, the scale of certain parts of roadway are a legacy of the fact that the main road to Great Yarmouth previously passed through the centre of the village before the A47 bypass was completed. When the bypass was opened in 1989 the amount of highway in the village centre was not downgraded.
17 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 8: Areas of highway and green space in Acle village centre (for illustrative purposes only)
Acle Village Economic Masterplan, 2013
3.10. Analysis of built form in the village centre (see below) highlights that the density of development in Acle is also relatively low for a village of its age and size. There are numerous areas of undeveloped / brownfield back land (particularly along the street) and a number of under used sites.
Figure 9: Built form in Acle village centre (for illustrative purposes only)
Acle Village Economic Masterplan, 2013
Residential buildings
3.11. In 2011 there were 1,330 residential dwellings in Acle (2011 Census). As the figure below illustrates, the majority of housing stock in Acle Parish is detached (580 units or around 44%) and semi-detached (472 units or around 35%). This trend is replicated across Broadland although the proportion of detached and semi-detached units is slightly lower in Acle. There are around 5% more terraced units in Acle than Broadland (187 units or
18 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
around 15% in Acle compared to 10% across Broadland as a whole) and a low proportion of flatted units (around 6%).
Figure 10: Housing stock 50
45
40
35
30
25 Acle 20 Broadland
15
10
5
0 Detached Semi-detached Terraced Flat, maisonette or apartment
Source: 2011 Census
3.12. The majority of housing in Acle (75%) is owner-occupied; this trend is common to both Acle and Broadland as a whole. However, the figure below illustrates that the proportion of owner occupied houses in Acle is around 5% lower than Broadland as a whole (80%) and that there are higher levels of rented and shared ownership in Acle.
Figure 11: Housing tenure 90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0 Acle % 40.0 Broadland
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0 Owned Shared ownership Social rented Private rented Source: 2011 Census
Employment buildings
3.13. There are two main concentrations of employment buildings in Acle Parish: the Damgate Lane industrial estate and the village centre. Damgate lane comprises a number of small
19 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
light industrial units occupied by a wide range of activities. The village centre, including The Street comprises a mixture of retail units, retail services and small office space. In both areas vacancy rates are relatively low with little or no vacant units at the time of writing this report.
3.14. In addition to the above, there are a number of other separate buildings dispersed around the Parish that provide employment including the Acle Academy and Hugh Crane on the South Walsham Road to the north west of the village centre and the St Edmund Primary School located within a residential neighbourhood to the north east of the village centre.
Community facilities
3.15. Acle is relatively well served by community facilities. To the north of the village centre is a large complex off Bridewell Lane that contains the Acle Recreation Centre, Acle Library, Acle Health Centre, Acle Methodist Centre and a sheltered housing scheme.
3.16. The,Recreation,Centre,is,large,for,a,village,of,;cle’s,size,and,includes,a,number,of,specific, facilities such as a dedicated indoor bowls arena, tennis court, five-a-side pitches, bowling green, a lounge / bar, community meeting rooms and dedicated outdoor play areas for young and older children.
3.17. In addition to the complex off Bridewell Lane Acle Church Rooms on The Street is available to hire by groups and societies and the Acle Academy encourages groups to use their facilities.
Natural environment: Designated landscapes
3.18. The overlap between the Parish of Acle and the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads means that the ANP area contains a number of important designated landscapes (see plans at Appendix B).
3.19. Primarily, part of the Parish lies within the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads National Park (see Figure 1 at the start of this document).
3.20. To the south east of the village there is a large low-lying area known as Decoy Carr which is designated as a RAMSAR site, Special Area of Conservation and Special Protected Area, Site of Special Scientific Interest.
3.21. An area covering the east of the Parish that is contiguous with the part of the Parish within the Broads National Park is designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area.
3.22. There are also a number of pockets of land in the east of the Parish (including Decoy Carr) that are Fens BAP Habitat, Deciduous Woodland BAP Priority Habitat and Coastal & Floodplain Grazing Marsh BAP Priority Habitat.
3.23. The Broadland Landscape Character Assessment (2008) identifies that the Parish of Acle contains Plateau Farmland (west of the Parish) and Marshes Fringe (east of the Parish) landscape typologies.
20 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Water and flooding
3.24. The low-lying part of the Parish to the east of the built up area of the Acle is an area of significant flood risk as defined by the Environment Agency (see plan at Appendix C ) and the entire Parish is part of a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.
Social characteristics
Demographics
3.25. The 2011 Census recorded that there were 2,824 residents in Acle Parish of which 48% were male and 52% female.
3.26. The figure below illustrates that Acle has a significantly higher proportion of residents aged over 60 (35%) relative to Broadland as a whole (30%). The figure also highlights that Acle has a lower proportion of middle aged residents between the 25 and 59 cohorts relative to Broadland as a whole (39% in Acle and 44% in Broadland).
Figure 12: Age breakdown of residents (%)
Age 90 and over Age 85 to 89 Age 75 to 84 Age 65 to 74 Age 60 to 64 Age 45 to 59 Age 30 to 44 Age 25 to 29 Age 20 to 24 Broadland Age 18 to 19 Age 16 to 17 Acle Age 15 Age 10 to 14 Age 8 to 9 Age 5 to 7 Age 0 to 4 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 %
Source: 2011 Census
Occupational classification
3.27. The figure below illustrates that the majority of working age residents in Acle are classified as being in lower managerial (22%), intermediate occupations (16%) or semi-routine (16%) socio-economic positions. The occupational classification of working age residents in Acle Parish largely mirrors that for Broadland as a whole.
21 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 13: Occupational classification of working aged residents (aged 16-74)
8. Never worked and long-term unemployed
7. Routine occupations
6. Semi-routine occupations
5. Lower supervisory and technical occupations
4. Small employers and own account workers
3. Intermediate occupations 2. Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations 1. Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0
Broadland Acle
Source: 2011 Census
Deprivation
3.28. Deprivation statistics for Acle Parish are compiled and presented for two smaller areas (lower layer super output areas) that combined broadly make up the Parish area (see below).
Figure 14: Index of multiple deprivation statistical geography of Acle
E01026497 : Broadland 018A (A)
E01026498 : Broadland 018B (B)
3.29. Broadland district as a whole is made up of 84 lower layer super output areas. One of the output areas (E01026498 – the southern areas) that makes up Acle Parish is ranked 22nd most deprived output area in the district and one is ranked 74th (E01026497 – the more northerly of the two areas (IMD, 2010))
3.30. Nationally, out of the 32,482 lower layer super output areas that make up England, the southern output area in Acle Parish is ranked 19,500 and the northern output area is
22 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
ranked 29,612 where 1 is the most deprived output area and 32,482 the least deprived (IMD, 2010). In terms of multiple deprivation, neither output area exhibit significant deprivation but there is a clear difference between the northern output area and the southern output area.
3.31. The index of multiple deprivation is made up of statistics from a number of thematic domains (income, employment, education etc), each of which it is possible to analyse in order to identify any more specific trends. The table below presents the results of this analysis.
Figure 15: Deprivation in Acle Parish by IMD sub-domain
Decile (% ‘most deprived’ where 0 -10% are most Acle deprived and 90-100% least) 0-10% 11 -20% 21-30% 31-40% Income (B) 41-50% Employment(B) Education(B) 51-60% Education(A), Housing(B) 61-70% Health(B) Income (A) 71-80% Employment(A) Living(B) 81-90% Health(A) Housing(A) 91-100% Crime(A) Crime(B) Living(A) Source: IMD, 2010
3.32. The table illustrates that there is no evidence of acute deprivation in Acle Parish. However, it again illustrates the clear split between the two lower layer super output areas where the northern area (A) performs better than the southern area (B).
Transport and access
3.33. Acle benefits from close proximity to the A47 road which links Norwich and the rest of Norfolk in the west to Great Yarmouth and the coast in the east.
3.34. The village benefits from good provision of bus services. The X1 service (First) stops in Acle en route to Lowestoft or Peterborough via Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn. The 47A service stops at Acle en route between Norwich, Brundall, Blofield and Great Yarmouth. National Express also recently launched a service that provides a direct link from Acle to London.
3.35. Acle benefits from a railway station which provides fast access to Great Yarmouth (14 minutes) and Norwich (22 minutes) and national connections from thereon.
23 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
3.36. The 2011 Census identifies that 81% of residents in Acle Parish have access to at least one car or van in their household and that 19% of residents have no access to a car or van. This compares relatively poorly to Broadland where 89% of residents had access to a car or van and only 11% do not (2011 Census).
3.37. Data relating to mode and distance travelled to work from the 2011 Census has not yet been released at the necessary scale for this analysis. The below regarding distance and mode of travel to work are therefore based on 2001 Census data.
3.38. The figure below illustrates that the most frequently mode by which Acle residents travel to work. It shows that around 64% of all trips to work are made by car. Despite the presence of a railway station close to the centre of Acle, the level of travelling to work by this mode remains relatively low at around 2%. Around 10% of residents in Acle Parish and across Broadland as a whole work from home and approximately twice as many residents in Acle walk to work (10%) compared to Broadland (5%)
Figure 16: Mode of travel to work
Walk
Cycle
Passenger in a car
Drive a car Broadland Acle Bus or coach
Train
Home working
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0
Source: 2001 Census
3.39. The figure below illustrates the average distance travelled to work by employed residents in Acle Parish and Broadland in 2001. The figure highlights a clear spike in the trend for Acle Parish where around 50% of working residents travel between 10km and 20km to work; this illustrates a significant proportion of residents are out-commuting, most likely to Norwich or Great Yarmouth.
24 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 17: Distance travelled to work
Less than 2km 50 40 Over 60km 30 2km to 5km 20 10 Acle 0 Broadland 40km to 60km 5km to 10km
20km to 40km 10km to 20km
Source: 2001 Census
Crime
3.40. Broadland as a whole benefits from a very low crime rate with around 24 incidents per 1,000 of population in the year ending 31st December 2012. To put this in context, the average crime rate for the Norfolk Constabulary area over the same period was 42 incidents per 1,000 population (www.police.uk, 2013).
3.41. Within a one mile radius of Acle village, over the period May 2012 to April 2013 there were 130 reported incidents of crime. The majority of these incidents were classed as anti-social behaviour inc idents,and,‘other,theft’,as,show,in,the,table,below
Figure 18: Reported crime incidents within a 1 mile radius of Acle (May 2012-April 2013)
Category Total Percentage Anti -social behaviour 78 60.0% Burglary 9 6.9% Criminal damage and arson 9 6.9% Drugs 5 3.8% Other crime 2 1.5% Other theft 15 11.5% Public disorder and weapons 0 0.0% Robbery 0 0.0% Shoplifting 0 0.0% Vehicle crime 3 2.3%
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Violent crime 9 6.9% Source: www.police.uk , 2013
Education
3.42. Acle Parish contains a large secondary school (Acle Academy), a primary school (Acle St Edmund Church of England Primary School) and a pre-school (Acle Pre-School). The Parish does not contain any facilities for post-16 learners, who are required to travel outside of the Parish to larger towns such as Norwich and Great Yarmouth.
3.43. The figure below illustrates the qualifications of Acle Parish working aged residents (16-74) from the 2011 Census. The figure shows that relative to Broadland Acle has a higher proportion of residents with no qualifications (27% in Acle and 23% in Broadland) at all and marginally lower proportions of residents with level 3 (11% in Acle and 12% in Broadland) and level 4 (22% in Acle and 23% in Broadland) qualifications.
Figure 19: Qualification level of working age residents
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0 Acle Broadland 5.0
0.0
Source: 2011 Census
Economic characteristics
3.44. The 2011 Census recorded 1,944 residents in Acle of working age i.e. aged between 16 and 74.
3.45. Of the 1,944 working age residents, 70% were economically active (employed or unemployed) and 30% were economically inactive (full time students, looking after the family home or permanently sick or disabled). This trend is broadly similar to the trend across Broadland where 71% of working age residents are economically active and 29% are economically inactive (2011 Census).
3.46. In 2011 Acle Parish contained 0.5% higher levels of unemployed residents relative to Broadland (3.1% in Acle and 2.6% in Broadland, (2011 Census)).
26 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
3.47. The figure below shows that working age residents in Acle Parish in employment mirror very closely the trend for Broadland as a whole in terms of the distribution between part time, full time and self-employed work (2011 Census).
Figure 20: Distribution of part time, full time and self-employed working age residents
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0 Self employed Full time 30.0 Part time 20.0
10.0
0.0 Acle Broadland
Source: 2011 Census
3.48. The figure below illustrates the broad industrial sectors of employed Acle and Broadland residents. The largest proportion of residents in Acle and Broadland are employed in the wholesale and retail trade (16% and 18% respectively) and human health and social work (around 13% for both areas) sectors.
3.49. There is limited significant variance between the sector of employment for residents in Acle Parish and Broadland as a whole. However, relative to Broadland, the proportion of residents in Acle Parish employed in financial and insurance activities and construction is low, with around 2% fewer residents in Acle Parish employed in both of these sectors. In addition, relative to Broadland, the proportion of residents in Acle Parish employed in accommodation and food service activities is high, with around 2% more residents of Acle Parish employed in this sector than across Broadland as a whole.
27 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 21: Industry of employment of residents (sectors with less than 1% in Acle Parish are omitted for ease of reference)
Q Human health and social work activities P Education O Public administration and defence; compulsory social security N Administrative and support service activities M Professional, scientific and technical activities L Real estate activities K Financial and insurance activities J Information and communication I Accommodation and food service activities H Transport and storage G,Wholesale,and,retail,trade,repair,of,motor,vehicles,and F Construction C Manufacturing A Agriculture, forestry and fishing
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0 20.0
Broadland Acle
Source: 2011 Census
Public consultation feedback
3.50. On Saturday 29th June 2013 following extensive publicity, an open public consultation event was held at the Acle Church Rooms from 10am to 3pm.
3.51. At the consultation event, attendees were asked to record on a plan where they lived, what they liked or disliked about Acle, what they would like to see changed and what their vision for the future of the village was. They were also provided with significant background on the Neighbourhood Plan process and asked to consider a series of objectives.
3.52. Over 50 people visited the consultation event and provided feedback on the various issues that were raised. In total, 61% of comments (36 comments) were positive and 39% (23 comments) were negative.
3.53. The figure below highlights the response of attendees when asked what they liked about Acle. It clearly shows that attendees were positive about the provision of education facilities, public transport infrastructure, the range of sports and social facilities and the strong sense of community.
28 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 22 : Public consultation feedback: frequently stated ‘likes’
Schools and youth facilities
Public transport / transport links
Sports facilities
Sense of community
Church community
Range of clubs / facilities
Shops and services
Village character
Library
Allotments
Health centre
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Source: Public consultation, June 2013
3.54. The figure below illustrates points raised by attendees at the consultation event in relation to what they do not like about the village. Only a small number of issues were raised by attendees but the most frequently stated dislike was the A1064 whether in terms of the speed of traffic or the lack of crossings / severance effect it creates. The two other issues raised were poor car parking facilities and dog fouling on pavements.
Figure 23 : Public consultation feedback: frequently stated ‘dislikes’
A1064 (speed / lack of crossings)
Poor car parking
Dog fouling
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Source: Public consultation, June 2013
29 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
4. Key issues (task A3)
4.1. The objective of this section of the SA Scoping Report is to identify a series of key sustainability issues in Acle.
4.2. The issues identified and summarised in the figure below are based the review of documents set out above under task A1 and the review of baseline conditions set out under task A2.
4.3. In addition to including issues identified from tasks A1 and A2 we have included issues identified by the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Reports for the BDC (2007) and BA (2006) Core Strategies.
4.4. The issues set out in the figure below are arranged under the following three headings: Environmental Social Economic
4.5. Where appropriate, SEA topics are provided in brackets to identify which parts of the table correspond to specific SEA requirements.
4.6. The issues identified provide a basis to develop a set of sustainability appraisal objectives / sustainability framework set out in the next section. Links between the issues and the sustainability appraisal objectives are highlighted by the inclusion of reference numbers e.g. ECON1 in brackets at the end the summary of each issue.
30 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Figure 24: Environmental issues
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (SEA topics: bio-diversity, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, cultural heritage, architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape) ACLE SPECIFIC RESERCH, 2013 Built environment Development in the village centre is relatively low density for a village the size and age of Acle. The level of brownfield land now given over to positive development limits the amount of economic and social activity able to take place in the village centre and inhibits the overall vibrancy of the village (ENV5, ENV6, SOC6, SOC7, SOC8, SOC9, ECON3, ECON4, ECON5) There is a significant area of land in the centre of the village given over to highway which is a legacy of the local highway network before the village was bypassed. The prevalence of highway limits the amount of space given over to greenspace and has a negative effect on the pedestrian environment (ENV1, ENV5, ENV6, SOC6, SOC8, ECON4, ECON5) The A1064 has a significant severance effect cutting of a small area of housing, the village allotments, Acle Boat Dyke and the nearby Broads from the village. The severance effect is driven by the volume and speed of traffic using this route and the lack of any formal crossing points (ENV1, ENV5, SOC8, ECON4) A large part of the eastern half of the Parish falls within the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads National Park area. As such there are a number of important environmental designations that need to be considered. In particular, Decoy Carr is covered by a number of national and international landscape designations (ENV4, ENV5) The low-lying land to the east of the village is an area at significant risk of flooding as defined by the Environment Agency (ENV8) BROADLAND JOINT CORE STRATEGY SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL SCOPING REPORT, 2007 Natural environment There is a wealth of natural assets and ecology (including high levels of water quality), which need protecting, maintaining and enhancing, and re-creating where lost (ENV2, ENV4, ENV5, ENV9, ENV11) There is a wealth of high quality agricultural land, which makes Greater Norwich an important supplier to the food industry. This will need protecting, as its loss would be irreversible (ENV11) Improving sustainable access to the countryside (SOC2) Making the city and urban areas greener and with increased links to the fringe areas. This will require some retrofitting of existing areas if a genuine sustainable city is to be developed (ENV5) Greenspaces and green corridors will need to be integrated into development and include the use of walking and cycling network (ENV1, ENV5, SOC2) There is generally poor status of SSSIs particularly in Norwich. Overall the quality of habitats needs to be improved and some areas need extending (ENV4, ENV5) Pressures from new development means that a significant area of greenfield land may be needed for new development (ENV5, SOC4) Landscape character and heritage should be retained, reflected and enhanced through the designs of new developments (ENV5, ENV6) Cross-boundary effects are also an important consideration. Activity promoted through the JCS is also likely to have an effect on areas outside its administrative boundary, such as the Broads Authority area. Water quality and biodiversity downstream will be particularly vulnerable to changes from new development (ENV2, ENV3, ENV4, ENV8, ENV9, ENV10, ENV11) Water quality is important for freshwater eco-systems and as a secondary effect the angling and tourism industry. Biological and chemical water quality will need to be enhanced through land use practises, such as installing SUDs and treatment works (ENV2, ENV9, ENV10). Built environment The Greater Norwich Area has a wealth of Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Listed Buildings and other architecturally distinctive structures all of which need protection (ENV6) The special historic character of Norwich and its hinterland should be preserved and enhanced; the unusual number of churches in the city, the valued listed buildings and the largest
31 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
groups,of,industrial,monuments,in,the,country,namely,windmills,will,be,important,in,retaining,the,city’s,unique,character,a nd heritage (ENV6) Preserve the distinctive character of the historic built environment and landscape, protecting and enhancing these and using them to promote the Greater Norwich and Broads areas (ENV5, ENV6) New developments will need to be integrated into the existing form and character of local areas in order to minimise the negative impacts that could be brought to the heritage of the area. Historic Landscape Characterisations can provide valuable assistance for integrating landscape distinctiveness into new developments (ENV5, ENV6) Brownfield land is in increasingly short supply, particularly in rural areas, so there is pressure to make best use of sites that do exist (ENV5) New construction can have negative impacts on existing development, town and cityscape from noise, air quality and dust (ENV3) Indirect impacts on the built environment could arise from the additional pressures of development and climate change Measures should be taken to enhance the historic core of Norwich and other distinctive heritage features, by making them able to withstand development pressures arising in the immediate future, such as traffic growth (ENV1, ENV5, ENV6) Climate change: Climate change threatens the long-term future of some habitats and species; their capacity to withstand these changes must be improved (ENV1, ENV2, ENV3, ENV4, ENV7) Significant areas in Greater Norwich are at risk of flooding, including previously developed areas in the City. The area at risk of flooding will increase with climate change (ENV8) Flood risk in areas like the Broads can also be exacerbated by developments upstream causing a change to natural watercourses and the water cycle (ENV8) There is a need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that contributions to climate change are reduced throughout, particularly as the rural areas of Broadland and South Norfolk are so much more reliant on using the private car (ENV1, ENV7) All new, and some existing, developments will need to adapt to the likely consequences of climate change through their design and locations (ENV7) Adapting to the effects of climate change will need to include the ability to design developments that are water efficient and recycle water resources as Norfolk is one of the drier parts of the country (ENV7, ENV9) Some aspects of retrofitting existing development, such as improving energy efficiency in private sector housing, tackling traffic congestion and promoting reduction, reuse and recycling of waste (ENV7, ENV8, ENV9, ENV10) Some aspects of change could bring benefits e.g. more wetlands (ENV4) Renewable energy solutions for the area will be essential and should be sought in order to minimise the use of carbon-burning technology for energy generation. This would also have the benefit of opening a number of new opportunities for economic development, such as a hydrogen energy sector (ENV7, ENV9, ECON6) Norwich,and,Norfolk’s,carbon,footprints,are,currently,unsustainable,and,promoting,adaptive,lifestyles,w ill be necessary to reduce them (ENV7, ENV9, ENV10) New developments in all sectors, land uses and activities will need to minimise their carbon emissions (ENV7) Airport use will also need to be redressed though carbon-saving elsewhere (ENV7). Natural resources: There is increasing pressure on the natural resources needed to facilitate new development, which will impact on water quality and supply, air quality, energy and minerals use (ENV2, ENV3, ENV7, ENV9, ENV10) Water quality must be enhanced given the rise in phosphate levels that are occurring in water courses (ENV2) The irrevocable loss of quality soil resources should be minimised (ENV11) Water supplies must be sufficiently able to service new developments and new designs of development must conserve water use as much as possible and seek to reduce the water use throughout the area (ENV9) Greater Norwich should consider the impact on catchment reserves (ENV9) Minerals efficiency will need to be improved to minimise the environmental impact of extraction and processing, including increasing the use of aggregate captured from recycled construction material (ENV7, ENV11) Ensuring that existing and new development is resource efficient (ENV7)
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There is a need to reduce the amount of waste from Greater Norwich sent to landfill sites, and find alternative methods of disposal (ENV10) Energy captured from waste should be increased (ENV10) Waste management will experience increased pressure on services to accommodate growth, supply new treatment facilities and minimise waste production overall (ENV10) Efforts should be made to trea t,and,use,contaminated,land,as,a,priority,for,restoration,provided,it’s use,won’t,present,health,risks,(ENV11) Transport: High motor vehicle use, particularly in rural areas, stemming from a general dependency on the private car (ENV1) Use of transport, in urban areas in particular, and its growth in volume has impacts on human health through contributing to poorer air quality in urban areas (ENV1, ENV3, ENV5) There is an on-going an urgent need to encourage a modal shift in transport use away from private cars and into public transport, and to replace CO2 emitting modes with less polluting forms of transport (ENV1) General environmental amenity will be put under pressure from new development, particularly due to noise, air and water pollution (ENV1, ENV2, ENV3) Transport movements associated with minerals, waste and other service provision will need to be minimised (ENV1).
THE NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK BROADS LDF CORE STRATEGY DPD: SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT, 2006 Bio-diversity, flora and fauna Protection of the natural resource (ENV1, ENV2, ENV3, ENV4, ENV5, ENV9, ENV11) Balancing development with the conservation of the natural resource (ENV1, ENV2, ENV3, ENV4, ENV5, ENV7, ENV9, ENV11) Implementation of enhancement (ENV1 - ENV11) Landscape Maintenance of tranquillity (ENV5) Protection of large scale landscape character (ENV5) Preserving local distinctiveness and character (ENV5, ENV6, SOC6, SOC8) Protecting the landscape whilst allowing essential development (ENV5) Recognition of the varied landscape characteristics across the Broads area and their differing capacity to absorb change (ENV5) Cultural Protection of the historic and cultural environments (ENV6, SOC6) Balancing development with the conservation of the historic and cultural environments (ENV6, SOC6) Implementation of enhancement of the historic and cultural environments (ENV6, SOC6) Promotion of development that is compatible with sustainability objectives and which would secure the future of historic buildings and maintain or enhance the historic and cultural environments (ENV6) Water Protection of water quality and water resources (ENV2, ENV9) Flood management (ENV8) Climate Addressing and planning for the impacts of sea level rise and climate change (ENV7, ENV8) Flood defence and the impacts of and opportunities under the Broads Flood Alleviation Project (BFAP) and subsequent investment in flood management (ENV8) The appropriate level and type of development within the flood plain in high-risk areas (ENV8)
33 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (ENV1, ENV3, ENV7) Air Ensuring the air pollution levels remain below Government objective limit values (ENV1, ENV3)
Figure 25: Social issues
SOCIAL ISSUES (SEA topic: population)
ACLE SPECIFIC RESERCH, 2013
Population The population of Acle contains a relatively high proportion of residents aged 60+ and a relatively low proportion of residents aged between 25 and 60. This raises a number of issues that need to be considered such as maintaining a supply of relevant shops and services, providing appropriate public realm and public spaces and providing a balanced supply of housing stock suitable for all ages (SOC4, SOC8, SOC9, SOC10) Unemployment is relatively high in Acle compared to the district (SOC7, ECON1, ECON2, ECON6) The population of Acle contains a relatively high proportion of residents with no formal qualifications (SOC3) Despite benefitting from a railway station close to the centre of the village and despite high levels of out-commuting, there is only a marginally higher proportion of residents travelling to work via train when compared with Broadland as a whole (ENV1, ECON4) BROADLAND JOINT CORE STRATEGY SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL SCOPING REPORT, 2007 Population: There is a wealth of natural assets and ecology (including high levels of water quality), which need protecting, maintaining and enhancing, and re-creating where lost (ENV2, ENV4, ENV5, SOC8) Rising population through inward migration requires more homes services and facilities (SOC4) Creation of unbalanced communities through (SOC1, SOC4, SOC6, SOC9, SOC10): o Increasingly ageing population in rural areas o Increasingly younger population in the city; and, o Migration of families from the city towards the suburban and rural areas. Household sizes are becoming smaller as more people remain single for longer or become single, and as a result require more homes to cater for this trend (SOC4) In-migration of populations from other areas in the region, and nationally and internationally, is increasing the demand for housing, community facilities and services (SOC4, SOC9) The proportion of the population for whom English is their second language is increasing. This is likely to have implications for the future provision of services and facilities such as education and community learning (SOC1, SOC3, SOC9, SOC10) Reducing the environmental impact of individuals will be important in maintaining sustainable communities (ENV7).
34 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Deprivation: Deprivation affects certain sectors of the community in many different ways, including distinct variations between urban and rural areas. Deprivation is generally heightened in urban areas, but also affects significant pockets of rural communities. Reducing deprivation includes: o Education and attainment (SOC3) o Income deprivation (SOC7) o Health and environmental quality (SOC2) o Crime (SOC5) o Social exclusion (SOC1) Reducing levels of unemployment will help reduce poverty and inequality and improve home affordability (SOC1, SOC7) If the house price – income ratio continues to widen, home owners will have less disposable income as mortgages/rents increase (SOC1, SOC4, SOC7) Access to services: The Greater Norwich population dispersal has a distinct urban, rural and urban-fringe split, which has implications for accessing facilities, providing services for dispersed communities, and identifying a role for some settlements (SOC9) There is a pressing need to find the best location for new development to have access to services and facilities (SOC9, SOC10) Services must be provided for an increasingly aging population, and all services must take into account the rising levels of disability in the population. This includes building homes to lifetime homes standards as well as providing specialised accommodation (SOC4, SOC10) Access to higher education establishments is problematic for pupils in the more rural areas where public transport links are poor (SOC3, SOC9) Difficulties in accessibility should not be allowed to restrict training opportunities, as this would have economic impacts for the future (SOC3, SOC9) As the population is rather dispersed, the roles of towns and local settlements will be important in or der,to,cater,for,people’s,n eeds (SOC9). Health The need to promote healthy lifestyles, particularly through the design of, and access to, new developments (SOC2) More health infrastructure, and better access to health facilities, is needed for all communities (SOC2, SOC9) Addressing the links between lower levels of health and higher deprivation will help to reduce social inequalities (SOC1, SOC2, SOC9) Air Quality Management Areas should be mitigated and the impacts of congestion and localised emissions concentrations should be reduced through traffic management schemes. Projects such as the CIVITAS Initiative can help cities to achieve a more sustainable, clean and energy efficient urban transport system through integrated technology and policy based measures (ENV1, ENV3, SOC2) Traffic can have negative health impacts across the area and these should be mitigated against, such as if the airport expands (ENV1, ENV3, SOC2) Providing permanent sites for Gypsy and traveller groups will lead to better access to health care facilities as well as education (SOC1, SOC2, SOC9, SOC10) Localised health facilities, such as cottage hospitals, could be more viable and provide an essential service to new growth, particularly in the rural areas, to relieve pressure on the major hospitals (SOC2, SOC9, SOC10). Crime Some higher crime levels exist in the urban areas, particularly in the more deprived wards (SOC1, SOC5) Improving community identity and welfare will be needed to help to reduce anti-social behaviour and increase the feel of local ownership of an area (SOC5, SOC6)
35 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Reducing anti-social behaviour will be closely associated with managing the evening economy (SOC5) Building-up community cohesion will increase the viability of local community-based events and facilities, and improve local democracy and public participation in local elections and Parish planning (SOC5, SOC6) Leisure, culture and recreation Need to provide access to a good range of cultural and leisure facilities, including improved access to the countryside and local green spaces (SOC6, SOC8, SOC9) Facilities for local play and interaction are needed to help build strong communities (SOC8, SOC9) Access to cultural activity is very important for recreation and personal development and community integration. Adequate cultural provision, such as libraries, will be integral to sustainable communities and need to be planned for from the outset (SOC6, SOC8, SOC9) Lifelong learning can also utilise cultural facilities and provision of community centres where community capacity and neighbourhood identity can be promoted (SOC3) An emphasis on good design of new facilities will ensure that communities can benefit from improves standards and it will bri ng,some,more,‘identity’,and,co mmunity involvement in the area (SOC6, SOC8) Tourism can play an important part in building-up cultural awareness and also for providing jobs and business growth. Support should be given to local tourism-related development linking cultural, social and economic aspects (SOC7, ECON1, ECON6) Town and village centres should be retained and encouraged as a focus point or a hub of community activity, particularly in response to local services and facilities being amalgamated or withdrawn from villages into larger settlements, affecting the viability of communities (SOC8, ECON1, ECON6) Education There are varying levels of attainment across the area; generally lower levels are experienced in the urban area and amongst older people (SOC3) Ensuring the viability of educational services in rural areas will be increasingly difficult as populations in those areas become collectively older. This has implications not only for facilities provision but also for maintaining the existing high standards of educational achievement (SOC3) Opportunities for lifelong skills and training ne ed,to,be,encouraged,in,order,to,‘ up- skill’,the,overall,workforce,(SOC3) Links between lower educational attainment, workplace qualifications and deprivation need to be addressed (SOC3) As in-migration rises there may be a need to improve educational opportunities within communities (SOC3). Housing There is a variety of housing tenure across the area, with significantly more owner-occupation outside Norwich city (SOC4) There is a need to provide a sufficient and appropriate mix of housing types and tenures to meet the needs of all and reduce the number of household in unsuitable accommodation, for example Norwich may prove to contain too many flats and not enough family units (SOC4) The most sustainable locations for a substantial number of new housing developments will need to be found, exact numbers of which must be planned for as arise from the Regional Spatial Strategy (SOC4) The need to improve the quality of new and existing housing stock (SOC4) There is an increasing gap between house prices and income levels, particularly in South Norfolk and Broadland (SOC1, SOC4) The affordability of new housing stock needs to be at a level that will ensure that local communities and key workers can access their local housing markets (SOC1, SOC4) The potential for providing new affordable homes must be maximised in each development proposal (SOC4) Gypsies and Travellers should also benefit from a measured provision of sites across Greater Norwich and be treated equally (SOC4)
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More effective use of the existing housing stock, such as returning vacant homes to beneficial use, could increase access to housing (SOC4) Transport Improving access to jobs, services and facilities by public transport and reducing the need to travel by private car (SOC7) Providing appropriate transport infrastructure (SOC8, SOC9, ECON4) Improving the accessibility to services and facilities for those who wish to walk and cycle (SOC8, SOC9, ECON4) There is a need to improve the opportunities to walk and cycle and use open space provisions as a means of recreation and for leading a more sustainable lifestyle (SOC2, ECON4)
THE NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK BROADS LDF CORE STRATEGY DPD: SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT, 2006
Access and social inclusion Addressing social inclusion and access (SOC1, SOC9, SOC10) Provision of community facilities and services (SOC9, SOC10) Housing The provision of housing for local need (SOC4) The provision of housing to accommodate visitors (SOC4) The provision of housing to accommodate workers within the rural areas (SOC4) The provision of affordable housing (SOC4) Transport Provision of transport infrastructure and Integration of modes of transport (SOC9, SOC10, ECON4) Maintaining public rights of way (SOC8) Promoting alternative access to the Broads – e.g. cycle ways and footpaths (SOC8) Consideration of the needs of visitors, residents and businesses (SOC8, ECON4) Human health Managing sport and activities in the countryside (SOC2)
Figure 26: Economic issues
ECONOMIC ISSUES
ACLE SPECIFIC RESERCH, 2013
Economic There are relatively high levels of out-commuting from Acle to places such as Norwich and Great Yarmouth (SOC7, ECON1, ECON4)
37 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
There is very little vacant employment space to allow for the creation of new businesses or the expansion / movement of existing businesses (ECON1, ECON3, ECON6)
BROADLAND JOINT CORE STRATEGY SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL SCOPING REPORT, 2007 Growth: There is a generally diverse, successful and growing economy, with a strong Research and Development industry (ECON1) There is a focus of employment provision in the city, with a smaller, growing importance of areas outside the city (ECON1, ECON2) Currently, there is an emphasis towards large employers being located in the City, and small employers in Broadland and South Norfolk. This may suggest a need to improve diversity of employers across the economy (ECON2, ECON3, ECON6) Maintaining high levels of employment and improving the ability of local populations and those with fewer qualifications to access employment markets (ECON1, ECON6( Where agricultural viability declines, diversification and indigenous investment needs support in rural economies (ECON1, ECON3) Locating employment growth in the most sustainable locations will be a key factor for a prosperous economy (ECON1, ECON2, ECON4) The evening economy can bring a 24-hour business diversity for business opportunities in some areas (ECON1) Increasing the provision of jobs in local areas will increase local economic growth and prosperity, so local jobs provision should be encouraged that can also offer vocational training opportunities (SOC7, ECON2, ECON3) Allocations for new jobs, as required under the Regional Spatial Strategy must be provided for in the most sustainable locations (ECON6) Diversification and extension of the tourism base across the area (ECON1) Promotion of tourism development whilst protecting the important landscapes, environment and cultural heritage of Greater Norwich and the Broads area (ECON1, ECON6) Resources: Domestic and business waste management, including waste minimization, increased recycling and resource efficiency improvements, such as energy generation and recovery (ENV10, ECON6) Maximising opportunities for economic growth and employment through new waste management facilities (ECON1, ECON6) Promotion of sustainable energy technologies (ECON1) Enabling sustainable production and consumption (ECON6) Agriculture provides a significant resource for the Greater Norwich economy and its ability to compete in the national and regional sector needs to be supported (ECON1) An environmentally-sustainable economy can be developed through a general reduction in food and business mile generation, improved energy savings, development of the renewable energy sector, and through enterprises such as eco-tourism (ECON1, ECON6, ECON4) Skills Promoting the knowledge economy will be a key influence in the growth of Greater Norwich and will require support through business infrastructure and training opportunities (SOC3, ECON1) There is an unbalanced workforce, as graduates take up intermediate jobs and so present difficulties for those with lower qualifications to access jobs (SOC7, ECON2, ECON6) Improving the levels of educational attainment amongst school leavers will be a vital part of improving the skills and training of the Greater Norwich workforce (SOC7, ECON6) The knowledge economy needs to be able to develop an environmentally-friendly sector that helps provide localised training to provide skills for creating sustainable communities, such as sustainable construction skills (ECON6)
38 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Transport Infrastructure Access to jobs needs to be improved, particularly for those in rural areas where local employment opportunities may not be so readily available (ECON4) Providing job opportunities closer to centres of population, particularly in the rural areas, will be important in reducing the dependency on the private car, reducing the need to travel, and building community cohesion (SOC7, ECON4) Links to regional, national and international transport networks should be maximised for their ability to bring growth and investment (ECON4).
THE NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK BROADS LDF CORE STRATEGY DPD: SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT, 2006 Local businesses Supporting economic regeneration and sustainability (ECON2, ECON6) The regeneration of the local economy in general and the boat building and hire industry in particular (ECON1, ECON5) Tourism & recreation Diversification and extension of the tourism base in the Broads (ECON1, ECON2) Promotion of tourism development whilst protecting the Broads landscape and environment (ECON1, ECON6) Making the existing tourism product more sustainable in environmental and economic terms (ECON6) Promotion of development which is compatible with sustainability objectives to support the boating industry (ECON6) Agriculture Managing changes in Government agricultural policy and structure (ECON1) Reconciling demand for agricultural land and land for tourism (ECON1, ECON6) Managing diversification (ECON1).
39 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
5. Sustainability appraisal framework (task A4)
5.1. A framework of objectives, key questions for decision making criteria and indicators have been developed to cover a broad range of environmental, social and economic factors. A schedule of the objectives is provided in the table below and the full framework is provided at Appendix D .
5.2. In order to simplify the SA, rather than seeking to hybridise the frameworks prepared for the,BDC,and,B;,Core,Strategy,S;’s,and,then,tailor,these,to,;cle,we,have,adopted,the, objectives and framework provided in the ODPM guidance: Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents (2005).
Figure 27: Sustainability objectives / sustainability appraisal framework
Objectives Reference Environmental To reduce the effect of traffic on the environment ENV1 To improve water quality ENV2 To improve air quality ENV3 To maintain and enhance biodiversity, flora and fauna ENV4 To maintain and enhance the quality of landscapes and townscapes ENV5 To conserve and where appropriate enhance the historic environment ENV6 To reduce contributions to climate change ENV7 To avoid, reduce and manage flood risk ENV8 To provide for sustainable sources of water supply ENV9 To minimise the production of waste ENV10 To conserve soil resources and quality ENV11 Social To reduce poverty and social exclusion SOC1 To improve health of the population overall SOC2 To improve the education and skills of the population overall SOC3 To provide everybody with the opportunity to live in a decent home SOC4 To reduce anti-social behaviour SOC5 To encourage a sense of community identify and welfare SOC6 To offer everybody the opportunity for rewarding and satisfying employment locally SOC7 To improve the quality of where people live SOC8 To improve accessibility to essential services and facilities SOC9 To improve accessibility for those most in need SOC10 Economic objectives To encourage sustained economic growth ECON1 To reduce disparities in economic performance ECON2 To encourage and accommodate both indigenous and inward investment ECON3 To encourage efficient patterns of movement in support of economic growth ECON4 To enhance the image of the area as a business location ECON5 To improve the social and environmental performance of the economy ECON6
40 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
6. Consulting on the SA Scoping Report (task A5)
6.1. This SA Scoping Report will be open to comment from various stakeholders with an interest in the effects of the ANP.
6.2. It is important to ensure that key organisations are able to play a part in the on-going Sustainability Appraisal process and help the emerging development plans take into account the wide variety of factors identified through the scoping process. In accordance with the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, the Scoping Report will be available for consultation for a minimum of five weeks, and will be specifically open to consultation by three statutory bodies, and others as deemed appropriate.
6.3. The three statutory bodies consulted on the Scope of the Sustainability Appraisal will be: Natural England English Heritage Environment Agency
6.4. In addition, the Scoping Report will be sent to: The Broads Authority Broadland District Council Norfolk County Council RSPB
6.5. The document shall also be available on the internet for public viewing.
6.6. The framework devised through the SA Scoping Report will play a significant role in developing policies within the emerging ANP. Its application will be documented in an SA Report as part of Stages B and C following the completion of the consultation process on this Scoping Report (Stage A).
6.7. This report will document how the SA process has been accounted for throughout the development of the different policy options considered during the production of the ANP.
41 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Appendices
Appendix A: Screening Opinion
Appendix B: Landscape designation plans
Appendix C: Flood zone plan
Appendix D: Sustainability Appraisal Framework
42 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Appendix A: Screening Opinion
Dear Ross,
Many thanks for your email requesting a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) screening opinion on the proposed Acle Neighbourhood Plan.
As the Acle Neighbourhood Plan will include policies and proposals relating to land use and development (and will therefore potentially have a significant effect on the environment), it is felt by Broadland District Council that it will be necessary to undertake a SEA in order to ensure compliance with EU obligations. However, this could usefully be undertaken as part of a Sustainability Appraisal (which itself is a process that takes full account of the SEA legislation, whilst also considering social and economic issues).
It is proposed that this is a piece of work that is undertaken jointly with Broadland District Council and with the Broads Authority in order to ensure compliance with the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Progra mmes Regulations 2004 (re. definition of ‘responsible authority’).
A similar approach is also suggested as regards screening relating to the Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA). This screening should be undertaken on the production of the draft Neighbourhood Plan document.
I hope this is satisfactory. Please do not hesit ate to contact me if you have any queries.
Kind regards,
Richard
Richard Squires
Community Development & Liaison Officer
Broadland District Council
(01603) 430637
43 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Appendix B: Landscape designation plans
The plans provided below are either provided by the Broads Authority or where they are not they contain public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0
44 RAMSARSites Parishes_Nofolk_Suffolk
050100 200 300 400 500 Meters ¯
Showing designations near to Acle - Ramsar Sites Author: NatalieB
zoomed out Date: 12/09/2013
© Broads Authority 2013. © Crown copyright and database rights 2013. Ordnance Survey 100021573. Parishes_Nofolk_Suffolk Special Areas of Conservation SAC
050100 200 300 400 500 Meters ¯ Showing designations near to Acle - SAC Sites Author: NatalieB zoomed out Date: 12/09/2013
© Broads Authority 2013. © Crown copyright and database rights 2013. Ordnance Survey 100021573. Parishes_Nofolk_Suffolk Special Protected Areas SPA
050100 200 300 400 500 Meters ¯ Showing designations near to Acle - SPA Sites Author: NatalieB zoomed out Date: 12/09/2013
© Broads Authority 2013. © Crown copyright and database rights 2013. Ordnance Survey 100021573. Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Appendix C: Flood zone plan
53 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Plan showing risk of flooding in Acle (area shaded blue)
Source: Environment Agency website, 2013
54 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Appendix D: Sustainability Appraisal Framework
55 Acle Neighbourhood Plan Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
SA Objective Decision making criteria Indicator / Headline indicator Target
Will it reduce traffic volumes? Percentage of people travelling to work by train, bus, bike or on foot Increase
ENV1: To reduce the Will it reduce road traffic accidents? Percentage of people travelling to work by train, bus, bike or on foot Increase Will it reduce the effect of heavy goods traffic on people and the effect of traffic on the Reduce environment environment? Will it increase the proportion of car journeys using modes other Percentage of people travelling to work by train, bus, bike or on foot Increase than transport? ENV2: To improve water Will it improve the quality of inland water? Rivers of good or fair quality Increase quality Will it improve the quality of coastal waters? Compliance with bathing water directive Increase ENV3: To improve air Will it improve air quality? Days when pollution is moderate or higher Increase quality Will it conserve and enhance natural / semi-natural habitats? Net change in natural / semi-natural habitats Increase Will it conserve and enhance species diversity and in particular ENV4: To maintain and Changes in populations of selected characteristic species Increase avoid harm to protected species? enhance biodiversity, Will it maintain and enhance sites designated for their nature flora and fauna Extent and management of SSSIs Increase conservation interest? Will it maintain and enhance woodland cover and management? Area of woodland Increase Will it reduce the amount of derelict, degraded and underused New homes built on previously developed land Increase ENV5: To maintain and land? enhance the quality of Will it improve the landscape and ecological quality and Area under agreement under the Environmentally Sensitive Area and
ENVIRONMENTAL Increase landscapes and character of the countryside? Countryside Stewardship agri-environment schemes townscapes Percentage of highways that are either of a high or acceptable level of Will it decrease litter in towns and countryside? Increase cleanliness ENV6: To conserve and Will it protect and enhance sites, features and areas of where appropriate historical , archaeological and cultural value in both urban and Buildings of Grade I and II* 'At Risk' Reduce enhance the historic rural areas environment Will it reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by reducing energy ENV7: To reduce Emissions of greenhouse gases Reduce consumption? contributions to climate Will it lead to an increased proportion of energy needs being change Proportion of energy supplied from renewable sources Increase met from renewable sources? ENV8: To avoid, reduce Will it minimise the risk of flooding from rivers and watercourses Properties at risk of flooding Reduce and manage flood risk to people and property? ENV9: To provide for sustainable sources of Will it reduce water consumption? Domestic water use and peak demand availability Reduce water supply
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Will it lead to reduced consumption of materials and resources? Household waste and recycling Increase Will it reduce household waste? Household waste and recycling Increase ENV10: To minimise the Will it increase waste recovery and recycling? Household waste and recycling Increase production of waste Will it reduce hazardous waste? Household waste and recycling Increase Will it reduce waste in the construction industry? Household waste and recycling Increase ENV11: To conserve soil Will it minimise the loss of soils to development? Loss of best and most versatile agricultural land to development Reduce resources and quality Will it maintain and enhance soil quality? Area of contaminated land Reduce
Will it reduce poverty and social exclusion and health Index of Multiple Deprivation Reduce SOC1: To reduce poverty inequalities and social exclusion Will it improve affordability to essential services to the home Index of Multiple Deprivation Reduce Will it reduce death rates? Life expectancy Increase SOC2: To improve health Will it improve access to high quality health facilities? Life expectancy Improve of the population overall Will it encourage healthy lifestyles? Life expectancy Increase Will it reduce health inequalities Life expectancy Increase SOC3: To improve the Qualifications at age 16 education and skills of Will it improve qualifications and skills of young people? Increase Qualifications at age 19 the population overall SOC4: To provide Will it reduce homelessness? Homelessness Reduce everybody with the Will it increase the range and affordability of housing for all Affordable housing (house price / earnings affordability ratio) Increase opportunity to live in a social groups? SOCIAL decent home Will it reduce the number of unfit homes? Number of unfit homes per 1,000 dwellings Reduce Will it reduce actual levels of crime? Recorded crime per 1,000 population Reduce SOC5: To reduce anti- Will it reduce fear of crime? Recorded crime per 1,000 population Reduce social behaviour Will it reduce actual noise levels? Recorded crime per 1,000 population Reduce Will it reduce noise concerns? Recorded crime per 1,000 population Reduce Will it encourage engagement in community activities? Extent of informal volunteering Increase Percentage of adults surveyed who feel they can influence decisions SOC6: To encourage a Will it increase the ability of people to influence decisions? Increase sense of community affecting their local area identify and welfare Percentage of people who feel that their local area is a place where Will it improve ethnic relations? people from different backgrounds and communities can live together Increase harmoniously
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Will it reduce unemployment overall? Unemployment Reduce Proportion of people of working age out of work for more than two Will it reduce long-term unemployment? Reduce SOC7: To offer everybody years the opportunity for Will it provide job opportunities for those most in need of Proportion of lone parents, long -term ill and disabled people who are Increase rewarding and satisfying employment? economically active employment Will it help to reduce long hours worked? People in employment working long hours Reduce Will it help to improve earnings? Average earnings Increase SOC8: To improve the Will it improve the satisfaction of people with their Percentage of residents who are satisfied with their neighbourhood as quality of where people Increase neighbourhoods as places to live? a place to live live Will it improve accessibility to key local services? Accessibility to key services Increase SOC9: To improve accessibility to essential Will it improve access to shopping facilities? Accessibility to key services Increase Will it improve the level of investment in key community services and facilities Accessibility to key services Increase services? SOC10: To improve Will it make access more affordable? People finding access difficult Reduce accessibility for those most in need Will it make access easier for those without access to a car? Accessibility to key services Increase
Will it improve business development and enhance competitiveness? Total output of the economy (GDP/GVA and GDP/GVA per head) Increase ECON1: To encourage Will it improve the resilience of business and the economy? sustained economic Research and development and employment in high and medium Will it promote growth in key sectors? Increase growth technology industries Will it promote growth in key clusters? Growth rates and linkages in cluster sectors Increase Will it improve economic performance in advantaged and ECON2: To reduce Regional / local variations in GDP and employment / unemployment Reduce disparities in economic disadvantaged areas? performance Will it encourage rural diversification? Number of planning consents for business premises in rural areas Increase ECON3: To encourage Will it encourage indigenous business? Growth of local businesses by employee numbers Increase ECONOMIC and accommodate both Will it encourage inward investment? Total investment as a percentage of GDP Increase indigenous and inward Will it make land and property available for business Employment land availability Increase investment development? ECON4: To encourage Will it reduce commuting? Distance travelled to work Reduce efficient patterns of Will it improve accessibility to work by public transport, walking Mode of travel to work (by means other than car) Increase movement in support of and cycling? economic growth Will it reduce the effect of traffic congestion on the economy? Traffic congestion Reduce
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Will it reduce journey times between key employment areas and Journey times between key employment areas and key transport Reduce key transport interchanges? interchanges Will it facilitate efficiency in freight distribution? Heavy goods vehicle mileage intensity Reduce ECON5: To enhance the Will it attract new investment and additional skilled workers to Image indices derived from consultations with business and local image of the area as a Improve the area? property specialists as part of the planning process business location ECON 6: To improve the Will it encourage ethical trading? Social and community enterprises Increase social and environmental Will it encourage good employee relations and management performance of the Businesses recognised as Investors in People Increase economy practices?
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